22 June, 2014

Don’t miss this week’s Veterans Radio. We’ve got two great stories for you.
Join hosts Jim Fausone and Bob Gould and their guests.

First up is Jennifer Petre Founder of Stiggy’s Dogs. Stiggy’s Dogs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides our military veterans living with PTSD and TBI another method of healing through service and companion dogs. Through our programs, we seek to help heal the wounds of war, provide families with new beginnings and raise awareness about the potential of shelter and rescue dogs everywhere.

All of their dogs are rescued. They come from rescue organizations, shelters, animal control agencies and humane societies. Stiggy’s Dogs believe that many mixed breed and rescue dogs can make wonderful service dogs and provide a mutually beneficial relationship with a veteran living with PTSD and/or TBI. By doing this, They are rescuing one to rescue another.

And the amazing story of Amir Hekmati. Amir served as an infantryman, senior language and cultural advisor and an Arabic and Persian Linguist in the US Marine Corps from 2001 to 2005. He served in Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2003-2004.

Amir is an Iranian-American raised in Flint, Michigan who was detained in Iran while visiting his grandmother. Accused of being a spy, he was detained in August of 2011, held in solitary confinement for months and hidden by the walls of Iran’s Evin prison. He was sentence to death in January of 2012, the first American to receive the death penalty in Iran in over 33 years. His death penalty was overturned by a higher court in March 2012 based on insufficient evidence and a new trial ordered.

You’ll have to tune in this Sunday at 5:00pm eastern to find out what has happened to Amir.